I’m 100% not crying as much as Julia. Nope, not even close. Literally not even close because she cried a lot, but I won’t deny that Karla Sorenson made me super emotional. And happy. Also, a little heartbroken—at least, at first.

You guys, this book is SO GOOD. It’s absolutely, unequivocally, hands-down my favorite of this series so far and for good reason. It is hope and mistakes and regret and soul-searing love all wrapped up in one sweet package. I love this series because despite the Denver setting, it feels like small-town romance (my favorite *heart eyes*). That means close, fun friendships, steady focus on the couple—in this case, Julia + Cole, getting their second chance seven years after the end of their marriage—and an easy-to-form, impossible-to-break connection between reader and character. And it’s all here in Cole. In spades.

Cole, the character, has fascinated me since Dylan (Bachelors of the Ridge Book 1), because of his love for his ex-wife. His is a steady, unbreakable love—potentially pathetic, but actually incredibly romantic. There’s just something about loyalty in a man that makes me all gooey and gushy inside. His words, his hope, his heartbreak, ahhhh. Feels, my friends. All the feels.

Can you tell I adored him? I perhaps didn’t adore Julia as much—she did cry a lot, as I said, though with good reason, and she was almost undeserving of Cole’s devotion—but I warmed to her with every page, until in the end, I couldn’t wait for her, for them to come full circle.

And come full circle they did. Cole ends on a lovely epilogue, which leaves me slightly bereft, because I enjoyed the hell out of this book, but also very ready for Michael and Tristan to get their turn. (Hoping for Michael and Brooke, because *hallelujah hands* I loved them both—especially puppet master Brooke). Until then, I’ll just be over here, still swooning over Cole.